To the beach on a whim

Lately I had sort of forgotten that I live 40 minutes from the Japan Sea. Today because it's the end of spring break and I haven't had classes, the principal of my base school gave me the afternoon off and I took a friend with me and went to the ocean. It was a nice day trip and spring is finally creeping around, though there is still about 4 or 5 feet of snow out there which will never melt (down from 10 feet a month ago). Anyway, we went to Kashiwazaki which is a nice but strange town...it's famous for having the largest nuclear plant in the world and also the site of the North Korea abduction situation, when North Korea randomly came to the Niigata coast some years back and abducted some Japanese citizens to brainwash and turn into spies. No joke. Anyway, the beaches were messy like most Japanese beaches but it was refreshing to go, not only because the weather was nice and it was the beach, but it just reminded me of something nice and different that is so close. It reminded me of the landscape in Oregon, and how you can be skiing and then on the beach an hour later. We checked out a couple beaches and some shrines, and then went to a really nutso fish market with lots of strange, fresh, raw Japanese sea delicacies. I ate fried imitation scallops (not sure why they said they were imitation, when i bought them at a fresh fish market) and some fresh-as-can-be sashimi of fatty tuna and some other white fish. I love going to those fish markets and it reminded me of driving up and down the coast, home from college with mom, or on trips to Cali with family, and just stopping at random seaside fish markets and eating super fresh stuff. Only this one had 4 foot long octopus tentacles and fresh cod sperm sacks. mmm...

Anyway I've been in a good mood because I've had so much free time after having such a hectic schedule at my many schools for so many months. Today was the opening ceremony for the new teachers and tomorrow we'll bring in the new first-year students. April 1 the new school year starts, as well as everything else...from a new garbage and bus schedule to a new fiscal year. April 1 should be New Year's here...everything changes and starts over and there is so much symbolism that ties in with spring. The cherry blossoms are coming anyday now too....